Intro to GSOC & other Open Source Contribution Programs

Level up your open‑source journey with a practical, friendly walkthrough of Google Summer of Code and the wider OSS ecosystem - led by someone who's cracked it.

What This Session Is About

Google Summer of Code is a global, online mentorship program where new contributors work on real, scoped projects with experienced mentors over a multi‑month timeline and get paid for it. This session, led by OSDC's own Rishab Kumar Jha (GSoC '25, NumFOCUS/PyBaMM & LFX Kubernetes), gives you a front‑row view of what the journey actually looks like, from first commit to final evaluation.

Alongside GSoC, we'll map out the wider open‑source event landscape - so you always know where to learn, network, and show your work throughout the year.

Who Should Attend

New contributors who want a clear starting line and a supportive plan
Intermediate devs and writers looking to level up via structured mentorship and public impact
Designers, PMs, community builders, and doc writers - because OSS is way more than just code

What You'll Learn

What GSoC is and exactly how the program works - timelines, evaluations, stipends
Why GSoC matters: build real experience, sharpen your skills, expand your network, and supercharge your profile
Who can participate and how to start engaging with mentor orgs the right way
How to write a strong proposal: clear problem statement, scoped objectives, a realistic timeline, and milestones that land
Resources and next steps to navigate deadlines, find mentors, and make your first meaningful contribution